


A curse of nature

by mindless_indulgence, Mollypr



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, POV Derek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-03-19 03:48:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13696245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mindless_indulgence/pseuds/mindless_indulgence, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mollypr/pseuds/Mollypr
Summary: Derek isn't sure when it started, and he sure as hell hasno fricking ideaas to what had caused it in the first place.The worst part is [actually, every part of this was the worst, but the worst-worst] that most of the time he didn't noticed what he was doing,untilhe was doing it, and then it was too late to prevent doing anything in the first place.It is like a reflex, an unconscious action, and as soon he realizes that he’s doing it again, he runs like someone had set his figuratively tail on fire, but of course it is too late then.It must be a curse, or a potion, a spell, or something equally unnatural evil doing that he constantly finds himself touching Stiles fricking Stilinski all the fricking time!





	1. The symptons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MRei](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MRei/gifts).



Derek isn't sure when it started, and he sure as hell has **no fricking idea** as to what had caused it in the first place.  
The worst part is [actually, every part of this was the worst, but the worst-worst] that most of the time he didn't noticed what he was doing, _until_ he was doing it, and then it was too late to prevent doing anything in the first place.

It is like a reflex, an unconscious action, and as soon he realizes that he’s doing it again, he runs like someone had set his figuratively tail on fire, but of course it is too late then. 

It must be a curse, or a potion, a spell, or something equally unnatural evil doing that he constantly finds himself touching Stiles fricking Stilinski all the fricking time! 

It started quite understandable.   
Scott McCall's annoying little sidekick was basically glued to his side, so they ran into each other frequently, and since the boy was totally ignorant about the danger he got himself into, Derek had to make a point on how dangerous it was for humans to get themselves into werewolf business.  
Derek wasn't the most patient man, and the constant babbling and interfering put Stiles more often than not on the receiving end of a shove, growl or punch.  
To make a point, of course, not to hurt him. 

Except the stupid boy just didn't seem to get it. He was intimidated by Derek, of course he was, but he was never ... scared. He flinches when Derek snaps at him, but after, he doesn't distance himself, never looks at him with fear, never looks at him like he was a dangerous animal. 

Derek couldn't remember when someone was at such ease around him. And that might've been another reason, like a tooth that just stopped hurting, he poked at it again and again, waiting for the pain to happen. 

But annoying, goofy, innocent Stiles wouldn't stop getting into his personal space, challenging him, talking back at him, and worse, _touching_ him, like he was just some guy. 

Like he was just a guy. Not a killer. 

He _says_ he’s scared of him, but his heartbeat doesn’t confirm it, even if the boy has the metabolism of a squirrel.   
He says it like stuff people just have to say, like ‘how are you’, or ‘have a good day’, or ‘I am so sorry for your loss’ … 

Even when Stiles had _thought_ Derek was a killer, that he had murdered his own sister and buried her behind the burned remains of his house and family, he didn’t back off. 

Even when Derek just showed up in his room [ _because it was a good hiding place. Sole reason to go there_ ]   
Stiles was worried only about his Dad finding out, not for being in the same room with a Werewolf that wasn't his best friend. 

And somehow, that made Derek angry enough to shove him into the wall. 

The only time Derek experienced a scared, totally freaked out Stiles had been when he had asked him to saw off his arm!  
Aside from that, Stiles remained bouncing into his personal space, and Derek –  
His hands seem to be incapable to keep away from this flawless, milky white skin. 

It was easy, in comparison, for a while when he just managed to substitute his need to touch with violence.  
Not that it wasn’t uncalled for.  
Seriously.

Like when the little spaz paraded him around in front of that poor classmate of his, to get him to do some phone tracing.  
Bad enough that the poor little guy was horribly embarrassed, and Derek felt like a piece of meat, but Stiles himself didn't seem to be affected by this curse, utterly oblivious of the tension between them, and that just _wasn't fair_! Why did Derek had to suffer through this alone?  
Not that he wanted Stiles to react to his semi-naked body, of course, that would've been even more awkward. 

Derek totally didn’t wanted Stiles to notice his body. 

But whenever he’s around him, he’s feeling more restless, frustrated, and nervous. Which is making him antsy and impatient, and he starts acting like a growly, brooding dick. Also, while Derek is usually a well-spoken man, Stiles is leaving him tongue-tied. 

And for some stupid reason, he **doesn’t want Stiles to see him like that!**

But it is a vicious circle, he hates the way he acts around Stiles, but seems to be unable to keep away from him. 

Fate, of course, doesn’t make it easier for him.  
Like when they’re stuck in the pool together, and Stiles is just _holding_ him for countless hours, giving him more support, both figuratively and literally, than he had in years. It had to be a curse.  
Derek was too embarrassed to talk to anyone about it, not to mention that he didn’t had anyone he could confide with in the first place, but after the third month when he drove by Stiles’ house in the middle of the night just to listen to his heartbeat, Derek decides to swallow his pride.


	2. The diagnose

“And, I have the feeling that it’s getting worse. Lashing out didn’t help, keeping distance didn’t work, I didn’t find anything on a curse like that, so you’re really my last hope.”

Deaton’s expression lies somewhere between sympathy and disbelief. And it scares Derek more than any threat he ever faced. What if there wasn’t any cure? What if he, and Stiles, were doomed for a horrible end?  
Deaton takes a deep breath, and sits next to him. Cautious, like Derek is made of glass. He can’t remember the last time someone treated him so tenderly. Oh God, this has to be bad. 

“So, this _person_ we’re talking about here, whose name you don’t want to tell me in case it’d put them in danger, you feel constantly drawn to, get nervous around them, are very worried about, and can’t control the urge to touch?” 

Derek nods. 

“Tell me Derek, do you have any – physical symptoms yourself? Like, increased heartbeat?” 

“Uhm, yes, my pulse goes through the roof, my stomach tightens up, I get sweaty, and can’t seem to be able to speak coherently. I feel like I’m turning into a fricking Neanderthal every time.” 

Deaton coughs, and seems to have trouble to break him the news. 

“Come on Doc, whatever it is, I can take it. There’s got to be a cure, a potion, something I can do to fix this!”

” Derek, I’m afraid there isn’t-“ 

**” Just tell me! What curse is it???”**

  
” The curse of nature, I’m afraid.” 

“The – what?”

“Derek, you’re in love. And I am having a hard time not to burst out into a hearty laughter right now. How on earth can you confuse a crush with a curse? Surely you had to be in love before!”

“But - **NO!** This is not possible!” 

Derek is pretty sure that’s what a heart attack must feel like. It surely ain’t what love feels like! Derek remembers being in love. It was all butterflies in his belly, gentleness and longing to touch. What he feels for Stiles couldn’t be more far from this, hell most of the time the boy makes him angry enough to shift!  
Not to mention – 

“I’m not even gay!” 

Deaton gives a jump next to him.

“Jesus, Derek. Okay, I should have figured that there’s more to this when you don’t want to tell me who we’re talking about.  
He side-eyes Derek  
Do you have any issues with being gay?” 

“No, of course not, but I’ve never remotely been attracted to men. And I haven’t had any of _these_ thoughts about him!” 

Deaton chuckles again.

“Well, obviously your brain is having a hard time catching up with your heart on this. And the rest of your body too. But let me assure you that what you feel is perfectly normal.” 

“Love has never felt before like being choked with my own intestines.” 

Deaton awkwardly pets his shoulder, and the healer suddenly looks younger, less wise.

“You’re still young, Derek. Love has as many shades as the rainbow, and more depths than the ocean. It can be soft, sweet and gentle, but also mean, cruel and painful. And everything in between. Honestly, with a curse you’d be better off.” 

And Derek has no doubt that the Doc is right about that. 

Oh boy, this is even harder than Derek expected, and he knew from the moment the full extent of his situation has dawned to him that this was going to be a nightmare.  
He’d rather fought a Kanima Alpha Pack than dealing with this. 

The most difficult part so far had been facing his own feelings. Due to some cruel celestial planning, he was in love with Stiles Stilinski.  
What a stupid name was that anyway. 

He was pretty sure he didn’t even _liked_ this kid! 

Derek pinches his nose. The fact that Stiles was, legally and in pretty much every other sense, a kid, was an issue he didn’t had the strength to consider yet.

Breathe in, breathe out. Focus on the problem. 

Okay, okay. In love. With Stiles Stilinski. In love. 

**Why?**

Okay, Derek Hale is a lot, but he is no coward. 

So, Stiles. He is really very smart, no one would argue with that. A wise-ass and running by his mouth, but not stupid.  
And he is brave. Considering how weak and defenseless he is, it’s a small miracle. But his heart isn’t weak, he sticks out for others, and he never takes the easy way out.  
He is fiercely loyal to Scott, and even though they had a rough start, he didn’t bail on Derek in the animal clinic. 

And he wasn’t afraid of him. Every other person would’ve run as fast and far as they could, or shit his pants when Derek threatened them, but Stiles talks back to him, teases him, treats him like a person, not an animal. He knows all these horrible things about Derek, but he never shows any disgust, fear or horror. 

Derek gathers all his strength.

Being in love means more than appreciating someone’s character treats. 

He visualizes Stiles’ appearance.

Skinny, pale, huge brown eyes usually gleaming with mischief, the body of a boy still growing into it.

He wasn’t classically handsome like Jackson, or attractive like this poor boy Danny, or cute like Scott. 

But… when Derek closes his eyes, and recalls the way he smells, this sweet, innocent, _taunting_ smell, it feels like a fire being lit in his ribcage.

Damn.

Stiles smells like rosebuds and heather, soft and clean and innocent and promising. Not arousing, not tempting [ _probably the reason he hasn’t found a girlfriend yet, humans are painfully unaware how many of their “feelings” are simple biochemistry_ ]  
but … hopeful. And like salted caramel or peanut butter chocolate, it becomes more alluring by the time.

Being platonically in love would’ve been easier.

Not that Derek has any intentions to pursue – even the thought makes him blush – a _physical_ relationship with him.  
A few weeks ago, he would’ve strongly denied pursuing any kind of relationship at all, but the only one around to fool was himself, and a man could only lie to himself for so long.


	3. The counter-measures

Since Derek has no idea what Stiles’ deal is, his first task is to somewhat befriend him. Hopefully, his infatuation might cease with him knowing Stiles better.

* * *

“Okay, all right, now, come on. No one died, all right? Look, there may have been a little maiming, okay, a little mangling, but no death. That's what I call an important distinction.”

_Sigh._  
So, both his annoyance **and** his infatuation aren’t going anywhere. Fate has thrown them into the same pot again, and it makes Derek hurt on a physical level not to roll his eyes every time the little dork opens his mouth to say something stupid.  
And still, his body _aches_ to reach out to Stiles, and Derek crossed his arms firmly because he doesn’t trust himself on acting on his impulses. 

He does come to a realization though. While they were preparing Isaac’s ice-bath and, between all the uncertainty and danger, Stiles got nothing better to do than playing with a giant rubber glove, Derek realizes that he is the only thing to lighten the mood in his life for a very, very long time.

Granted, so far it mostly pissed Derek off, but he is aware that his personal history makes him avoid getting close to people.  
It’s not the same with a pack. A pack is protection, and strength. Relationships are just targets for your enemies. 

And still, Scott’s irritating sidekick has somehow coiled himself into Derek’s heavily guarded armor.

No matter what happens, what obstacles are thrown into his way, he always stays so positive and enthusiastic! And it can’t be out of ignorance, the boy lost his mother at a much younger age than Derek. He’s just – bright. In every aspect. 

All circumstances considered, Derek has made great progress over the last weeks. The threat of the Alpha Pack made it easy to constantly check on Stiles, and they had spent quite a lot of time together. The current problem is that Derek still feels tongue-tied around the chatterbox, and whenever he says something to him, it’s either a threat or a command about being not stupid.

He rolls onto his stomach, and groans into his pillow. Maybe he should consult Deacon again on the possibility of a curse that made him constantly snap at his secret crush.

* * *

Isaac: “Ah... I don't get it. Look, did something happen?”  
Derek: “It's just not gonna work with both of you here. I've got Cora now. It's too much. I need you out tonight.”  
Isaac: “Where am I supposed to go?”  
Derek: “Somewhere else.”  
Isaac: “Did I do something wrong, Derek?”  
Derek: “You're doing something wrong right now by not leaving.”  
Isaac: “Oh, come on.”  
Derek: “Just get out.”  
Isaac: “Derek, please.”  
Derek: “Get out.”  
Isaac: “Come on.”  
Derek: “Go!”

After he kicked Isaac out, Derek left too. 

It was all too much. 

He was trying, he was trying so hard, but he could never be the alpha that Talia has been. 

What a pack he had.  
Erica was dead, Isaac was already questioning him, Cora was basically a stranger, and his nutjob uncle was more of a liability than anything else. 

Wrapped up in his misery, he didn’t notice where he was going, until he, once again, found himself outside of the Stilinski home. 

Not able to muster up the strength to resist, he gave into the urge to just listen to Stiles’ heartbeat for a while. 

Stiles was in his bedroom, but, despite the late hour, he wasn’t asleep.  
He never had a real slow heartbeat, always sounding a bit like a gerbil, but tonight, he was more restless than usual. 

And then his screaming voice pierced Derek’s eardrum like a hot needle. 

Before he could think even once about it, he ran toward the house, jumped onto the canopy, and all but smashed through the window.

Stiles’ room is showing a prominent lack of attacking werewolves, kanimas, or other creatures.  
The only disturbing creature inside was a terrified, crying Stiles, who apparently had tried to strangle himself with his blanket, and clutched to his pillow like his life depended on it.  
Derek steeled himself for all kind of justified questions, accusations and a sheriff kicking in the door with blazing guns, but nothing happened.  
He sensed that Mr Stilinski wasn’t even home, and once he was calm enough to actually look at Stiles, he noticed the too-big pupils and decelerated heartbeat.  
Stiles was still asleep, or half-asleep, trapped in a nightmare.  
The mewl was so faint he barely heard it.  


_“I want my mom.”_  


The sentence pulled on Derek’s heartstrings. He so wanted to get out of here, now that he knew Stiles was not in danger, but without his conscious permission, his body sat down on the edge of Stiles’ bed, and awkwardly pulled him into a hug.  


Stiles wrapped his arms around him without hesitation, and with a thumping heart, Derek petted him until he fall asleep.

The next morning, Derek quickly escaped without having slept for a single second, due to both being worried about Stiles, and too tense due to the close proximity to him, and not trusting his own body to do … _things_.   
Once he heard the Sheriff returning home, he sneaked out of the house, but couldn’t resist to plant a chaste kiss on Stiles’ head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES yes I know it's been way too long and I have to thank Molly for kicking my ass to start working on it again!


	4. Other side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is Stiles' POV.  
> I know it had been WAY too long.

„It’s not that I want her back, I mean, I am not sure if I want her back, but I know she has moved along, but I am still not sure if I like to see her with –“

Scott side-eyed Stiles, who was staring into distance, absently nodding and making mhm-noises.

“And the real bummer is that I apparently knocked her up, and her gynaecologist said she is pregnant with a whole litter of werewolf puppies, and we can’t agree on names because I want to go with the Ninja Turtle names but she is insisting on the Backstreet boys.”

“That’s too bad.”

“Stiles!”

Startling, Stiles turned his face towards him. “What?”

“You didn’t hear a word I was telling you, right?”

“What? I am offended and hurt by this awful accusation, man! I was paying attention the whole time! You were talking about Allison, how much you want her back…”

Scott sighed. 

“Okay, I was a bit … fine, I was a LOT focused on myself lately, but dude, you were totally spaced out! What’s going on with you?” 

Stiles gave him a long, serious look, like he wasn’t sure about himself, which happened really, really rarely.

“Nothing, man, just … I had a weird dream last night. Like, a _really_ weird dream.”

Equally amused and confused, Scott noticed Stiles was blushing.

“Like, you know I have occasionally nightmares. Even before the whole werewolf and monster shtick, just … you know.”  
And Scott does know.  
“But last night, it kinda, I don’t know, merged or whatever… because suddenly, Derek was there, and he-“  
Stiles suddenly stopped, and turned into an even deeper shade of red than before.

Scott’s pupils dilated.

“Then he did _what_?!”

“He, uhm, he  hugged me.”

The only reason Scott was able to hear that were his, somewhat new, keen werewolf senses.

“He _hugged_ you?!? Derek Brooding WhatAreHumanFeelingsAnyway Hale **HUGGED** you?!”

Stiles whimpered.  
“There might’ve been some cuddling too.”


End file.
